Alcohol by volume (abv sometimes ABV) is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage (expressed as a percentage of total volume).^{[1][2] [3]} The abv standard is used worldwide. ^[4]

In some countries, alcohol by volume is referred to as degrees Gay-Lussac (after the French chemist Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac).^[5]

Typical abv levels

• fruit juice (naturally occurring): < 0.1%
• beer: 3%–12%
• alcopops: 4%–17.5%
• cider: 4%–8%
• barley wine: 10%–15%
• wine: 8%–16%
• fortified wine: 20%
• liqueur: 15%–55%
• spirits: 15%–90%
  • vodka: 32%–60%, usually around 40%
  • “cask strength” whisky or rum: 60%
  • absinthe: 55%–89.5%
  • neutral grain spirit: 95%
• rectified spirit: 96%
• absolute alcohol: 100%^[6][7]

Proof and ABW

Another way of specifying the amount of alcohol is alcoholic proof, which is twice the alcohol-by-volume number.

In the United States, many states regulate and tax alcoholic beverages according to alcohol by weight (ABW), expressed as a percentage of total mass.^[8] Some brewers print the ABW (rather than the abv) on beverage containers, particularly on low-point versions of popular domestic beer brands.

Alcohol percentage by weight is only 4/5 of alcohol percentage by volume (e.g., 3.2% ABW is equivalent to 4.0% abv).^[9]

See also

• Unit of alcohol
• Gravity (beer)
• Plato scale

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Alcohol tables;: Giving for all specific gravities, from 1.0000 to 0.7938, the percentages of absolute alcohol, by weight and volume, and of proof spirit, Otto Hehner, J. & A. Churchill, ASIN B0008B5HOU

External links

• How do brewers measure the alcohol in beer? HowStuffWorks